Lafayette County, Wisconsin: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Darlington, Shullsburg and Belmont
No data center or power plant project is on record in Lafayette County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 417, up 71.6% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Lafayette County is home to Darlington, Shullsburg, Belmont and Benton. Employers here counted 4,934 jobs in 2025, up 13.8% from 2019 (the fastest growth of 72 Wisconsin counties). Its power plants have 100 MW of capacity, 98% of it wind. Electrical contractors employ 43, at an average $75,489 a year.
Cities and towns in Lafayette County
Lafayette County is home to Darlington, Shullsburg, Belmont and Benton.
- Blanchardville also extends into Iowa County.
- Cuba City also extends into Grant County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Wiota, Woodford.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Lafayette County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 16,619 | 17,478 | ▲ 5.2% | 57th of 72 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,334 | 4,934 | ▲ 13.8% | 1st of 72 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,093 | $51,608 | ▲ 39.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 243 | 417 | ▲ 71.6% | 2nd of 61 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 2.5% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Wisconsin Power & Light Co is the largest utility serving Lafayette County, one of 8 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.89¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.25¢ median for Wisconsin utilities. Unemployment was 2.5% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. 17,478 people live here, up 5.2% since 2020.
Who powers Lafayette County
Utilities with service territory in Lafayette County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin Power & Light Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 437,211 | 16.89¢ | 22% |
| Scenic Rivers Energy Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 13,597 | 15.23¢ | 1% |
| City of Cuba City | Municipal | Bundled | 985 | 11.41¢ | 56% |
| City of Argyle - (WI) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Village of Belmont - (WI) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Village of Benton - (WI) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Village of Hazel Green - (WI) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Shullsburg - (WI) | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 98 MW | 98% |
| Petroleum | 2 MW | 2% |
| Hydro | 0 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quilt Block Wind Farm LLC | Quilt Block Wind Farm LLC | Wind | 98 MW | 2017 |
| Argyle | City of Argyle - (WI) | Hydro | 2 MW | 1929 |
The Lafayette County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,934 | $51,608 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 417 | $74,519 | 1.60 |
| Electrical contractors | 43 | $75,489 | 1.21 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Lafayette County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lafayette County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Grant County, Green County.
Lafayette County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Lafayette County, Grant County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette County | 17,478 | ▲ 13.8% | 100 MW | — | — | — |
| Grant County | 52,446 | ▼ 4.2% | 453 MW | 67 MW | — | 1 |
| Green County | 37,227 | ▼ 0.5% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Iowa County | 23,951 | ▲ 3.4% | 330 MW | — | — | — |
| Jo Daviess County IL | 21,594 | ▲ 5.3% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Stephenson County IL | 43,220 | ▼ 0.3% | 270 MW | 2 MW | — | — |
More of Wisconsin
Lafayette County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lafayette County, Wisconsin?
8 utilities have service territory in Lafayette County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Wisconsin Power & Light Co, Scenic Rivers Energy Coop, City of Cuba City, City of Argyle - (WI). The largest, Wisconsin Power & Light Co, charged residential customers 16.89¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Lafayette County?
2 operating plants with 100 MW of capacity. The largest is Quilt Block Wind Farm LLC (98 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Lafayette County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lafayette County.
Is Lafayette County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,934 jobs in 2025 against 4,334 in 2019 (+13.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 243 to 417.
Does Lafayette County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lafayette County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.